The present invention relates generally to electrical connectors, and more particularly to an electrical connector for flexibly mounting a motor upon a printed circuit board such that the printed circuit board is effectively isolated from vibrations emanating from the motor, and in addition, for electrically connecting the motor to the printed circuit board in a solderless manner.
Printed thick film (PTF) printed circuit boards, which comprise, for example, carbon filled ink or silver filled ink, are a known alternative to conventional copper plated printed circuit boards. It is also known or desirable to use such printed thick film printed circuit boards in lieu of conventional copper plated printed circuit boards in view of the fact that such printed thick film printed circuit boards are less expensive to fabricate and are more environmentally acceptable or desirable due to the fact that no plating or heavy metals are involved in accordance with the processing or fabrication techniques for manufacturing such printed thick film printed circuit boards.
One operational disadvantage or drawback, however, of utilizing such printed thick film printed circuit boards is that in view of the use of the carbon filled ink or silver filled ink, electrical connections required with respect to connecting or mounting various components upon the printed circuit board cannot be achieved by means of conventional soldering techniques. Various alternative techniques for electrically attaching or mounting such various components upon printed thick film printed circuit boards have therefore of course been contemplated, however, such techniques have not proven particularly successful for various reasons. For example, in accordance with one known attachment technique, the attachment procedures cannot be automated and are therefore labor intensive. In accordance with another known attachment technique, it is difficult to spatially accommodate the various components upon the printed circuit board in view of the fact that space upon the printed circuit board is often severely limited.
A need therefore exists in the art for a new and improved electrical connector which is adapted for electrical connection to printed circuit boards, and more particularly, for electrical connection to printed thick film type printed circuit boards, whereby the electrical connector can be mounted upon printed thick film type printed circuit boards in accordance with crimped connection techniques. In addition, a need exists in the art for a new and improved electrical connector which is adapted for electrical connection to printed circuit boards whereby, for example, vibrations from an electrical component to be mounted upon the printed circuit board can effectively be isolated whereby such vibrations are not transmitted to the printed circuit board so as to not adversely affect the electrical connections and operations of the printed circuit board.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved electrical connector which is especially structured for connection to printed circuit boards, and more particularly, for connection to printed thick film type printed circuit boards.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved electrical connector which is able to overcome the various operational disadvantages and draw-backs characteristic of conventional electrical connectors for electrically connecting electrical components to printed thick film type printed circuit boards.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved electrical connector for electrically connecting electrical components to printed thick film type printed circuit boards wherein the printed circuit board is effectively isolated by means of the electrical connector from the electrical component to be mounted upon the printed circuit board such that vibrations from the electrical component are not transmitted to the printed circuit board so as not to adversely the electrical connections to the printed circuit board or the printed circuit board circuits.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved electrical connector for electrically connecting electrical components to printed thick film type printed circuit boards wherein the electrical connections are securely achieved by means of crimped connections.
The foregoing and other objectives are achieved in accordance with the teachings and principles of the present invention through the provision of a new and improved electrical connector which comprises a base portion for mounting upon the printed circuit board, pairs of oppositely disposed contact beams or fingers for establishing electrical contact with electrical contact tabs of an electrical component to be mounted upon the printed circuit board, and a flexible, substantially S-shaped or reversely oriented question-mark (?) shaped member which integrally interconnects the contact beams or fingers to the base portion in a flexible cantilevered manner which effectively vibrationally isolates the electrical component from the printed circuit board such that vibrations from the electrical component are not transmitted to the printed circuit board. The base portion also comprises a pair of oppositely disposed flexible contact supports which are able to be compressed together by means of a suitable tool such that they can support the contact beams or fingers when the electrical component contact tabs are to be inserted between the electrical connector contact beams or fingers, and which return to their original positions upon insertion of the electrical component contact tabs into the electrical connector contact beams or fingers and removal of the application or insertion tool. Still further, the base portion of the electrical connector is provided with three dependent legs which are adapted to be folded beneath the printed circuit board in a crimped manner so as to secure the electrical connector to the printed circuit board.